76th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
The 76th Flying Training Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, and was disbanded on 15 June 1946 at Smyrna Army Airfield, Tennessee. There is no lineage between the United States Air Force 76th Maintenance Wing, established on 5 February 1942 as the 76th Observation Group at MacDill Field, Florida and this organization. History The wing was a World War II Command and Control organization which supported Eastern Flying Training Command. Its schools provided four-engine heavy bomber transition training for experienced pilots who were moving from single and two-engine aircraft to the B-17 or B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. Also after 1944, most pilots were learning on B-17/B-24s for eventual transition to B-29 Superfortress training under Second Air Force. As training requirements changed during the war, schools were activated and inactivated or transferred to meet those requirements.Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC Lineage * Established as 76th Flying Training Wing, on 14 August 1943 : Activated on 25 August 1943 : Disbanded on 16 June 1946.76th Flying Training Wing, lineage and history document Air Force Historical Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama Assignments * Army Air Forces Eastern Flying Training Command, 25 August 1943 * AAF Western Flying Training Command, 15 December 1945 – 16 June 1946. Training aircraft The schools of the wing flew primarily B-17D/E/F Flying Fortresses. Some B-17Gs were flown after June 1944 when Second Air Force B-17 training ended. Some B-24D Liberators were also used Assigned Pilot Schools ; Hendricks Army Airfield, Sebring, Florida : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 43d Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: February 1942, Closed: December 1945 (B-17)www.accident-report.com: Hendricks Army Airfield : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944 ; Lockbourne Army Airbase, Columbus, Ohio : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 44th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: January 1943, Closed: February 1945 (B-17)www.accident-report.com: Lockbourne Army Airbase : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; WASP 4-engine school; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; Later USAF Lockborune/Rickenbacker AFB, Now OH Air National Guard ; Smyrna Army Airfield, Smyrna, Tennessee : AAF Pilot School (Specialized, 4-Engine) : 46th Pilot Transition Training (4-Engine) : Opened: January 1942, Closed: October 1945 (B-17, B-24)www.accident-report.com: Smyrna Army Airfield : Transition training for experienced single or two-engine pilots; primarily used for training B-29 Superfortress pilots after mid-1944; later USAF Smyrna/Stewart Air Force Base, closed 1971 Stations * Smyrna Army Airfield, Tennessee, 25 August 1943 – 16 June 1946. See also * Army Air Forces Training Command * Other Eastern Flying Training Command Flight Training Wings: : 27th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Basic Flight Training : 28th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Single Engine : 29th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Primary Flight Training : 30th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Advanced Flight Training, Two Engine : 74th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Classifcation/Preflight/Specialized/Navigation : 75th Flying Training Wing (World War II) Gunnery References Category:Training wings of the United States Army Air Forces Category:USAAF Eastern Flying Training Command Category:Military units and formations of the United States Army Air Forces Category:American Theater of World War II }}